Cheat Sheet

Sushi For Dummies

You love sushi, but you’re not sure you’re completely familiar with all the different types of sushi or the items available. Fortunately, you can find that information easily, as well as key phrases that can have you talking to your Japanese sushi chef like a native.

How to Read the Menu at a Sushi Bar

When you go out for sushi, the number and variety of dishes on the menu can be overwhelming. To help you out, the following lists contain Japanese words and dishes that frequently appear on sushi bar menus. Stress each syllable equally, and you’ll be ordering like a pro!

To get familiar with the types of sushi, use this list:

Chirashi-zushi (chee-rah-shee-zoo-shee): Scattered sushi

Gunkan-maki-zushi (goon-kahn-mah-kee-zoo-shee): Battleship sushi

Maki-zushi (mah-kee-zoo-shee): Sliced rolls, in general, including the following two types:

How to Chat at a Sushi Bar

If a Japanese-speaking sushi chef is behind the sushi counter, these ten brief Japanese expressions will come in handy and make you a very welcome guest. Stress each syllable equally and you’ll be set.